


Making a Difference

by SonglordsBug



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, old story new verse, retold folktale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23422213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonglordsBug/pseuds/SonglordsBug
Summary: This ficlet is based off the starfish story, of which there are many iterations. I’m cheerfully blaming a coworker for putting the old man is a jedi idea in my head… and then Obi took off running.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Luke Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Kudos: 20





	Making a Difference

**Author's Note:**

> crossposting from stumblr

The man who had taken to going by Old Ben was taking his habitual evening walk along the edges of the Jundland Wastes.

‘You’re hardly old, Padawan mine,’ a not voice said into his head.

“There are many things that age a person besides years,” Old Ben grumbled. “And I’m not sure you get an opinion anymore, my rather dead Master.”

He scanned the edge of the Wastes, there had been a sandstorm earlier that day and the landmarks had changed.

'I still think Ben doesn’t suit you,’ Qui-Gon said.

“Yes, well, it’s a lot less likely to make people think I’m a Jedi,” Ben said snippily.

'But you are a Jedi,’ Qui-Gon said.

“No. I’m not,” Ben said with a weary sigh. “It’s not like they made a difference in the grand scheme of things.”

Qui-Gon hummed disapprovingly and then his presence disappeared.

Ben frowned and started picking his way carefully, paying attention to his footing. He was coming up to the area where the sand was so fine it acted like liquid and it wouldn’t do for him to fall in.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw a gentle blue-green glow on the ground before sighing in sorrowful realization.

Star crabs.

Scuttling little creatures with six point shells and a bio-luminescent glow. They didn’t so much walk as swim through the fine sand. The sandstorm had flung countless numbers of them out of the Wastes, leaving them helpless on the regular sand.

There was no possible way to save them all, Ben mused with regret, picking his way through the star crabs.

After a while he noticed a strange movement up ahead. Frowning, he moved closer until he recognized the little boy who was running around ducking and straightening.

“What are you doing youngling?” Old Ben asked.

“’M saving the star crabs,” Luke answered without looking away from his task.

“But there are so many of them! Surely you realize you can’t possibly make a difference,” Old Ben said.

At this, Luke stopped and met Ben’s eyes. Maintaining eye contact, he bent down, picked up a star crab, and flung it into the fine sand.

“It made a difference to that one,” Luke said solemnly, his sky blue eyes achingly familiar.

There was a beat of silence.

“You’re right. Shall I show you how to help more than one at a time?” Obi-Wan Kenobi asked.


End file.
